During the 2021-2022 financial year, almost 200,000 households were broken into in Australia and around the same number experienced attempted break-ins. Almost twice as many households experienced malicious property damage. The most common items stolen were personal items such as jewellery and clothing, followed by bicycles and sporting equipment, money, purse or wallet, and tools. It is worthwhile to understand the role of windows and doors in the safety of the house and learn about the technical measures and features that can help make our homes more secure.
Windows and doors: The weakest link
Obvious entry points in most cases are windows and doors of a building. In other words, when trying to increase overall safety, they are one of the best areas to focus on. Here are some of the technologies and designs that make Paarhammer windows and doors much safer and more secure than the common products on the Australian market.
Multi-point locking system
For increased security, the entrance doors are fitted with multi-point locking systems, where the turn of the key engages not one, but three locks, one at the top, one in the middle and one at the bottom of the door, all conveniently locked at the same time. This makes the door much more resistant against battering and opening by brute force.
Hooked locks
Another smart design consideration is the hook shaped locks that – when engaged – prevent the door from being lifted off its hinges, blocking yet another common method of breaking in.
Window security: Metal-to-metal locking points
The European style tilt & turn windows offer metal-to-metal security locking at many points around the window, all operated by the handle. These locking points are installed at a maximum of only 800mm apart and make it near impossible to be overcome by burglars.
Double rebates
Another safety feature in Paarhammer products are the double rebated frames for both windows and most door types. Double rebates are necessary for airtightness and draught proofing, but they also increase security by making it almost impossible to access hardware from the outside to gain entry through forcing the sash open.
Not all glass breaks the same
Different glazing options can also increase security (e.g., double or triple glazing). Breaking a double or triple glazed toughened glass unit is very loud and it takes time to remove shards and gain entry without injury, both things a burglar tries to avoid. Laminated glass or even burglar proof glass can take your security levels a step further.
What about efficiency?
While the above-mentioned features increase security, they also increase energy efficiency at the same time. In addition, almost airtight locking and seals eliminate draughts, thereby increasing indoor comfort levels.
